Sussex, WI

87 Apartments for Rent

Sussex was founded in the 1840s and, since the 1970s, has been home to Quad/Graphics, which prints Newsweek Magazine, Time and Sports Illustrated among other well-known publications.

Located about a half an hour's drive from downtown Milwaukee, Sussex is a pleasant village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. It was founded by George Elliott -- a bricklayer who originally came from the county of Sussex in England -- and Richard Cooling. The latter opened a blacksmith shop in the summer of 1843 and, soon after that, other villagers began to settle. These days, you will hardly be surprised to hear, it is not a blacksmith that most newcomers to the area are looking for, but a charming village in picturesque surroundings. Towards the end of the 19th century, Sussex became an emerging stop for the up and coming Wisconsin Central Railroad and it has flourished ever since. The village stands on an area of well over seven and a half square miles and, as of the 2010 census, has a population of in excess of 10,500 inhabitants. In fact, the population rose considerably between the 2000 and 2010 censuses, so it is becoming an increasingly popular place to live and to find rental homes.

Moving to Sussex

A lot of folks who relocate to Sussex do so because the village offers the small-town feeling without ever being far from the hustle and bustle of a major city. That is probably why you are reading about it now, right? Nevertheless, Sussex does have some fun of its own to offer, so you get the best of both worlds. Remember, once you find the right apt for rent in the locality, that Wisconsin winters are famous for their heavy snowfall. Therefore, it is always advisable to try to plan your moving date outside of the coldest times -- from about Thanksgiving to late March. A good time to begin your apartment search is in the spring, so that you stand the best chance of being able to move during the summer. Despite this, try to avoid moving in September, unless you have booked your moving firm well in advance, since this is the time that many colleges in the state are expecting their influx of new students and moving services tend to be much more in demand.

Wisconsin does not require you to have any moving permits, which is good news. However, it is always a good idea to have something on you that proves your identity and income when viewing a property. Good homes, both houses and apartments, will probably be popular with other potential renters when they come onto the market, so having this information on your person can help you to beat the competition. Never hand over any cash for a deposit, or for any other reason for that matter, without getting a proper receipt for it. No matter how much you think you might lose out on a deal, it is better to move with appropriate caution when it comes to your hard-earned cash.

Neighborhoods of Sussex

The village has some distinct neighborhoods that are worth knowing about before you start looking in earnest. Most of the commercial outlets are clustered around Main Street. Okay, so that is no great shock, but of these the majority are on the west side of town, near to where it intersects with Highway 164 -- worth bearing in mind if you want to walk to them.

Coldwater Creek: Situated in the north of Sussex, you can find some of the best accommodations in the village in this neighborhood. Coldwater Creek was built with residents' privacy in mind and most of the housing is laid out with plenty of space and leafy zones between the dwellings. There are natural wetlands close by that attract all sorts of pleasant wildlife to the area.

Clover Downs: This is another predominantly low-rise residential development, this time in the south of Sussex. It is a great place to start looking if you want to have easy access to many of the village's parks such as Armory Park and Spring Green park.

Centennial Oaks: This area is situated in the northwestern most part of the village community. Expect residential roads with plenty of trees out front, neatly trimmed lawns and well-maintained driveways. Head north on Maple Avenue from Main Street to reach the Centennial Oaks part of the village. You'll have Culver's and Main Moon Chinese Restaurant close by if you choose to live here.

Living in Sussex

The mighty Lake Michigan is situated to the east of Sussex, with Whitefish Bay being the closest part of it. The bay is only 17 miles away, along Silver Spring Drive, just across from the north-south running Interstate 43. In Sussex itself, the central road is called Main Street, which runs east-west and cuts the village pretty much exactly in two. Two Wisconsin Trunk Highways connect Sussex to its neighboring settlements. Highway 164 runs northwards to Slinger, a well known ski resort, and Highway 74, better known as West Main Street, runs northeast to Menomonee Falls.

If you are looking for a house to rent in Sussex and want to commute to Chicago for work, then bear in mind that it is about a two hour drive, depending on the traffic. On the other hand, O'Hare International Airport only takes about an hour and forty minutes to get to, so rental properties in the village still make sense if your work takes you around the country and overseas. The two-runway Waukesha County Airport is very handily located for Sussex's residents and it is only a 15 minute ride away. Sewer, storm water drainage and water utilities are billed quarterly by the village authorities to residents, but some landlords will include these prices within their rental charges. If you do have to cover the cost yourself, then it is simplest to pay in person at the Village Hall, although it is also possible to pay online nowadays.

Bicycle trails and other recreational areas, such as Sussex Village Park off Weaver Drive, are other popular benefits welcomed by many of Sussex's inhabitants. In fact, there are no less than 175 acres of parks throughout the village, mostly on the southern side, near to Clover Drive. Sussex also has some fun events on throughout the year, including a regular outdoor movie night in the summer and an annual turkey hunt each November. There are some bars and eateries to be found at Main Street, mainly close to where the railroad crosses it near Waukesha Avenue, so this is a good place to check out if you are a complete newcomer to the village.